Sweating is a necessary bodily function that regulates body temperature. When sweat evaporates off your skin it cools you down, which is why you sweat when it is hot or when you’re exercising. Some people sweat more than might be necessary to cool their body, which medically is called hyperhidrosis. If you are sweating so much that it is affecting your well being then you may have this condition. Treatment options include prescription-strength antiperspirant, oral medications, Botox injections, iontophoresis, and miraDry electromagnetic energy treatments.
Palms, feet, underarms, and head are the most common areas where hyperhidrosis is evident. Excessive sweating in these areas can lead to spending a lot of time dealing with the sweat. This means changing clothes frequently, avoiding social situations where sweating would be visible, and generally having to go through extra effort to prevent, manage, and clean off sweat.
Treatments for hyperhidrosis often are best for a particular area. Some are more appropriate for treating sweat on the hands and feet while others are only used under the arms. Although the treatments effectively stop sweat in a certain area they do not impact thermoregulation, as the body has millions of sweat glands. For example, only 2-3% of the body’s sweat glands are under the arms.
